HECTOR — A fire started at the elementary school here around 10 p.m. Thursday and quickly spread through the Grade 2 building before crews were able to contain the fire and keep it from spreading to surrounding structures.

Investigators on the scene said the cause of the blaze was not immediately known, and officials did not provide an estimate of the losses caused by the fire. A school employee posted on Facebook that the school's food pantry, which distributed food to students and their families, sustained damage.

School officials said classes are canceled Friday; Hector students' last day of classes before Christmas is Wednesday, according to a district calendar.

Firefighters remained on scene through the night to ensure flare-ups did not spread the fire to surrounding buildings.

Law enforcement officials said their investigation will begin once the area has cooled enough to allow investigators to access the area, which may be next week because of the size of the fire.